Spider Battalion, '09

Three Richmond Arts & Sciences cadets commissioned into the U.S. Army

October 30, 2009

Three members of the University of Richmond’s Spider Battalion, all students in the School of Arts & Sciences, were commissioned into the United States Army on Saturday, May 9 at Cannon Memorial Chapel.

At the commissing ceremony, LTC Doug Gillem credited the success of the Spider Battalion cadets with the strong education the University’s faculty provide.

“While there are other requirements to commission, none is more important to our Army, or valuable to our soldiers, than the education you provide. Our cadre does not instruct them on how to articulate their thoughts, ideas, instructions and commands. You do. Our cadre does not teach them the concepts of logic, problem-solving, and critical analysis. You do. Our cadre can only mentor them after you have laid the most important of foundations. I have found that after 19 years of service and four tours in combat, nothing is more useful to an officer, or valuable to their soldiers, than one’s intelligence,” Gillem told faculty.